


Endurance

by OrionRedde, Shyrstyne



Series: Cometverse [57]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werecreatures, Body Horror, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-24 08:53:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19720357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrionRedde/pseuds/OrionRedde, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shyrstyne/pseuds/Shyrstyne
Summary: Comet realizes something Big.





	1. We’re Here

The realization hits you suddenly as you’re setting the table. Something niggling at the back of your mind, and has been ever since Ventus had changed last month, finally coalesces into a solid thought and hits you like a sledgehammer.

“Oh,  _ shit _ .” You breathe.

“What’s up?” Lea asks from the stove, where he’s poking around a meat and veggie sauce for pasta.

“So you remember how Ventus is connected to Sora?” You begin.

“Yeeeeees?” Lea drawls, unsure where this is supposed to go. 

“And how likewise everyone connected to Sora like that has turned?” Isa, who is a little quicker to connect dots, pales dramatically.

“Oh,  _ hell, _ ” he hisses.

“What? What?” Lea demands, looking annoyed.

“Vanitas is connected to Sora, too,” you remind Lea. It takes him a second but Lea also pales, gripping his spoon in a white-knuckled grip.

“Aw, fuck, the poor kid,” Lea winces.

“Given the others, it will likely be a suppression change, but..” Isa trails off.

“How bad will it be?” Lea finishes, eyes tight in worry.

“It’s hard to say for certain, but after Ventus’ particularly rough transition I would prepare for the worst.” Isa’s chair creaks as the hand he has on it tightens.

“We have to tell him,” you tell your boys. “Isa, he’s the only one of the heart crew who hasn’t changed.. How long do you think we have?”

“If not this moon then the next one.. But I doubt we should be so lucky. It will probably be this one.” Isa tells you grimly.

“That’s next week!” Lea exclaims. 

“Shit, shit, shit!” You swear, tugging on your braid in agitation. “Why the  _ fuck  _ didn’t I put this together sooner?”

“Put what together?”

You jump and whip around. Vanitas gives you a wide-eyed look but instantly tries to hide it. Oh, you are  _ not  _ prepared for this  _ at all.  _ Vanitas body-language closes off at your silence. Shit, Comet, respond!

“Something I  _ really  _ should have a while back,” you confess. “This… this is gonna be hard to hear, Van.”

“...okay,” Vanitas mumbles, sitting down on a chair at the table, shoulders hunched and hands in his pockets. Shit, he’s closing off. You sit down, too, Isa stands silently behind you in support.

“Okay,” you try to start, rubbing your hands over your jeans. “Okay.”

“After Ventus’ change, there is a reasonably good chance you may be a were,” Isa says without any sort of preamble. Vanitas blinks at him and you put your face in your hands.

“Thank you, Isa, for being so dependably blunt,” you mumble into your hands.

“You’re welcome,” Isa tells you in seriousness.

“...what?” Vanitas rasps. You look up at him and meet his eyes. You think you see relief before it melts away into confusion.

“You know the whole Sora Heart Hotel thing?” You ask him. He raises his eyebrows with a flat look. How could he not, connected to them all as he is? “So far everybody who has been housed or connected in some way to Sora’s heart - Roxas, Xion, Namine, and even Ventus - have all turned. We didn’t put the pieces together until literally just now that, maybe, you’ll turn as well.” Vanitas takes a moment to judge the seriousness in your face and then he pales, hand making an aborted movement to clutch at his chest. Had he felt it when the others turned? Questions for later. “I’m so sorry I didn’t put this together sooner, Van. That’s my responsibility.”

“Gee, don’t hog all the blame for yourself, Comet,” Lea drawls, lowering the heat on the sauce.

“All three of us should have put it together,” Isa says, briefly putting his hand on your shoulder. 

“So what does this mean?” Vanitas asks, expression flattening as he visibly shuts down once more.

“It means on the day of the full moon you’re going to feel really sick,” you explain, maintaining eye contact. “You’re going to feel really sick, and you’re going to  _ hurt.  _ I’m not gonna lie to you, Van - this is going to  _ really suck.  _ But we’ll be here with you, okay? You’re not alone in this.”

Vanitas curls his fingers into his pants, face set. Hesitantly, you raise your hand. His eyes flick to it but then back to you. Slowly, carefully, you bring your hand up to curl around the back of his neck. You gently bring his head forward as you lean towards him and press your foreheads together. Vanitas closes his eyes, expression crumpling slightly as he trembles. Stars, you feel for him. If he felt what the others felt during their own changes, then he must be  _ terrified.  _ You close your eyes against your own emotions, determined to hold fast against this  _ fear. _

Cool hands slide over your shoulders. They gently squeeze, lending silent support. The scent of woodsmoke and warm arms encircle you and Vanitas as Lea carefully nudges his own head against yours. 

“We’ve got your back, cub,” Lea rumbles, breathing in your scents.

“We are here,” Isa murmurs from behind you.

_ “Always,”  _ you tell Vanitas, feeling your heart open and pour out towards this boy, this  _ cub  _ you have claimed as your own. Vanitas chokes, a broken sound, holding back his emotions.

“It’s okay, Van,” you soothe, rubbing your thumb over the back of his neck, feeling the texture of his undercut. “It’ll be okay.”

Vanitas crumbles, sliding forward to bury his face into your shoulder. You wrap your arms around him as Lea tightens his own embrace. Isa tangles one of his hands into Vanitas’ hair as he presses his palm between your shoulder blades. You let your own tears fall as Vanitas sobs, gripping your shirt in a desperate, terrified grip. Lea rumbles soothingly, pressing his face against yours. You can feel his own tears leaking down his face.

You stay like this, for a while. Simply holding each other and comforting your terrified cub. Eventually, his sobs die down into sniffling and shaking. You don’t loosen your grip until he does, everybody pulling back slightly to gather themselves.

“So,” you hiccup, wiping your face with a free hand, “how badly burned is dinner?”

_ “Shit.”  _ Lea abruptly gets up and rushes to the stove. Vanitas snickers wetly, rubbing at his eyes. Isa huffs and straightens, ruffling Vanitas’ hair as he does.

Dinner is quiet and rushed, but everybody manages to eat something and pack up the leftovers before you all inevitably migrate to the couch. Lea immediately scoops you and Vanitas into a tight embrace, reclining a section of the couch so you and him can sandwich Vanitas between the two of you. Vanitas doesn’t protest, hiding his face in your chest as he limply lets you hold him. Isa settles on the opposite side of the couch, but the occasional hand on your shoulder or Lea’s hand tells you that he needs a bit of comfort, too.

The week leading up to the full moon Vanitas becomes clingy. None of you mind, letting him shadow you throughout the day, gripping hesitantly at hands and shirts. He willingly curls up with you or Lea and occasionally Isa, burying his face into arms and sides. You, Lea, and Isa collectively decide to let Vanitas figure out how he wants to tell the others. With all the progress he’d made, it doesn’t occur to you that he might not.

The morning of Full Moon Day, Vanitas doesn't leave his room. Lea, who barely managed to make it down the stairs to eat something, unnecessarily pushes you to go check on him. Isa exchanges a worried look with you as you go back upstairs. You knock on Vanitas’ door.

“Van?” You call, knocking on the door. “You okay?”

No response.

“I'm gonna come in, okay?” You warn, gently turning the knob. You quietly pad over to the lump of covers on the bed.

Vanitas is pale and sweaty, dark bruises carving purple shadows at his eyes. You brush the hair away from his forehead, and you hiss sympathetically at the sheer heat of his fever. Vanitas scrunches his eyebrows at your touch before blinking his eyes open. His gaze is unfocused and hazy.

“Comet?” He rasps.

“Yeah, cub,” you hum. “Good morning.”

“Mornin’,” Vanitas returns automatically. “This sucks.”

“Yeah, it does,” you agree. “The next sucky part is me carrying you downstairs to force food into you.”

“Can we skip that?” Vanitas almost whines. “Please?”

“Enope,” you tell him. “C'mon, cub, let's go.”

Vanitas grumbles but doesn't protest when you tuck his blanket tightly around him and scoop him up. He tucks his face into your neck, breath shallow. You lightly kiss his hair before concentrating on getting downstairs without jostling him. You get downstairs and carefully deposit Vanitas on the couch. 

“Think you can choke down some toast?” You ask him, crouched next to him.

“Maybe,” Vanitas mumbles.

“You want anything on it? Butter, jam, peanut butter?”

“Just butter,” Vanitas answers.

“Alright, kiddo,” you say, kissing his forehead as you stand up. “Love you.”

“Mmlf y’ too,” Vanitas murmurs, eyes drooping.

“Poor cub,” Lea whispers sympathetically, tiredly clutching his mug of tea.

“This will be rough,” Isa sighs. “But he'll be fine.”

“Think I'll stay closed today,” you say, worry closing around your throat and belly like tight ropes. You put two pieces of toast into the toaster. “I don't think I can handle not being able to see him. I might actually kill somebody.”

“Valid,” Lea grunts, eyes shut and cheek propped on his fist.

“Nobody will blame you,” Isa tells you, meeting your eyes. 

“Adira'll kick their asses if they do,” Lea hums as he takes a sip of his tea. You snort. The toaster pops up with a cheerful ding and you butter the toast lightly. You take the finished toast to Vanitas, carefully poking him awake. He manages one piece before he curls up on his side. You leave the plate with him and go fix your own breakfast. Lea kisses your cheek as he walks out of the kitchen.

“I'm gonna pass out next to the couch,” he tells you as he walks on.

“Aight,” you say, something in your chest easing. “Let us know if you or Van need anything.”

“Will do,” Lea promises over his shoulder. You fix yourself an omelette and sit next to Isa. He reaches up and gently squeezes the back of your neck. You grip your fork, exhaling shakily but accepting the comfort. He rubs the short bristles of your undercut with his thumb, massaging where skull and neck connect.

“They’ll be okay,” Isa tells you, voice soft. “We’ll be here with them, and they won’t be alone. We can do this.”

“We can do this,” you repeat, almost a prayer. 

“Ow-! Vanitas!”

You and Isa get up and rush to the living room. You can’t help but laugh. Vanitas had rolled off the couch to land on top of Lea. Your troublesome cub grumbles and curls closer to Lea’s body, burying his face into Lea’s back. Your boyfriend props himself up on his elbows, craning his neck back to eyeball the cub on his back.

“Dude,” is all he says. 

“Ffssshhhh,” Vanitas mumbles.

“Aww, let him cuddle, Lea,” you tease, walking forward. You flop down on the ground next to your boyfriend as he lies back down with an offended huff. “You should feel honored to be graced with Van’s affection.”

“Damn straight,” Vanitas mumbles, reaching an arm out from the blanket to grab onto you. You gently take his hand, rubbing his knuckles with your thumb. Isa claims the couch for himself, laying down with a tired sigh. He drops a hand down to brush into Vanitas’ hair once before withdrawing. Vanitas heaves a shaky sigh, visibly relaxing. Lea rumbles quietly, nuzzling his face into the pillow he’d claimed for himself. You scoot on your shoulder blades until you’re closer to him, craning your head to kiss his shoulder, still holding on to Vanitas’ limp hand. 

The four of you nap the morning away. You and Isa reluctantly pull away around noon to make a light lunch. Lea gamely finishes his plate and pokes Vanitas into eating something, too.

“The nausea sucks, but changing on an empty stomach is even  _ worse, _ ” he tells Vanitas when the cub scrunches his nose. “You’ll feel like you haven’t eaten in weeks if you don’t.”

Vanitas heaves a sigh but reluctantly takes the banana, poking pieces into his mouth. It takes him a good five minutes to finish a banana and a small stack of crackers, but he eats something and that’s all that matters to you. The cuddle arrangements change, Vanitas curling up on the floor with you, face buried in your chest. Lea has claimed the couch this time, Isa on the nearby armchair with his hand carding through Lea’s hair. Lea and Vanitas doze fitfully. You and Isa can only provide small comforts, holding and touching. You talk quietly, discussing a book the two of you have both read.

You’re finishing up a debate on the importance of friendships in literature when Isa happens to glance out the window.

“Almost time,” he tells you, rising to close the curtains. “Thirty minutes at most.”

You sigh and reluctantly nudge Vanitas, who has started to shiver, awake.

“C’mon, Van,” you murmur as he slowly opens his eyes. “Wake up. It’s a half hour until moonrise. Isa and I are gonna make a nest and you can pass out in there, okay?”

“Mmkay,” Vanitas mumbles, paling.

“It’s gonna be okay, alright?” You murmur, running a hand over his head to grip the back of his neck. “You’re going to be okay.” You kiss his forehead and help him sit up. Isa has already started moving furniture back, making plenty of room for a good sized nest. Lea grunts and rolls off the couch so Isa can move it, landing next to Vanitas. You raid the linen closet and grab as many sheets and blankets as you can carry. You drop the entire load on top of Lea.

“This isn’t how making a nest works,” Lea grumbles.

“It totally is,” you return. “We’ve got the blankets, some pillows, the living space heater…”

“Is this what I’ve been reduced to?” Lea mourns dramatically as he sits up, sheets sliding off of him. “A living space heater?”

“Living space heaters don’t talk,” Vanitas speaks up, leaning against Lea’s arm.

“Unfortunately for us, this one does,” Isa sighs, grabbing some sheets to actually get started on the nest.

“I’m gonna run away and join the circus,” Lea humphs, holding on to Vanitas as you and Isa build a nest around them.

“I thought your clown days were over?” You tease. Vanitas huffs a laugh. His skin glistens with sweat even as he shivers, having long discarded his burrito blanket. Lea, looking a little ill himself, looks at you and Isa with undisguised worry.

“Van, we’re gonna have to take off your shirt, okay? Your senses are gonna go nuts, and we don’t want you hurting yourself clawing your shirt off, okay?” You explain softly. Vanitas gives a vague noise of consent, even tugging at his collar in an attempt to slip his shirt off himself. You help him out of his shirt, seeing Lea shuck his own shirt out of the corner of your eye. Vanitas immediately lays on his side, curling up in a fetal position. You can see muscles twitching and rippling in his back. Lea curls up around him, tucking Vanitas’ head under his chin. Isa sits down next to you, bumping his shoulder against yours.

“Together,” he reminds you.

“Together,” you affirm.

Vanitas gasps, curling in on himself. Lea groans, shivering as he reluctantly scoots back to give him and Vanitas some space. Vanitas whines desperately, brokenly.

“Gotten soft.” He pants. “Should be used to this.” Your heart hurts for him.

“ ‘s okay, cub,” Lea rasps, placing an already clawed hand on Vanitas’ neck. “ ‘s okay.”

“We’re right here,” you murmur, running a hand through Vanitas’ hair and down his back to press between his shoulder blades. Your cub shudders at your touch, panting harshly.

“We will not leave you,” Isa says softly, pressing his own hand over Lea’s shoulder. 

Vanitas’ vertebrae  _ snaps _ and he  _ shrieks _ , head thrown back as he arches. Lea chokes on his own shout as his ribs crunch outward. You clench your jaw, fighting to keep your hand flat against Vanitas’ back even as you feel his back pop out of alignment vertebrae by vertebrae. Your eyes feel hot and puffy, and you haven’t even shed a tear.

You glance to the side and look at Isa. He takes your free hand in his. His expression is strained, brows furrowed and lips pressed firmly together. You squeeze his hand. Vanitas cries out again, shoulder blades crunching out at odd angles. Bruises bloom over his pale skin, dark purples and greens over his misshapen spine and shoulders. Lea whimpers, arching back as his spine lengthens. Isa runs his hand into Lea’s hair and down his back. Lea forces himself to breathe evenly, eyes squeezed shut in an attempt to focus.

Vanitas makes a creaking sound in the back of his throat, like he’s run out of air.

“ _ Breathe,  _ Van!” You encourage. “Breathe!”

Vanitas wheezes in a breath, choking on a sob as yet another section of his back snaps at an odd angle. You release Isa’s hand to wipe tears from Vanitas’ cheeks, then you reach over and wipe at Lea’s tears. Isa reaches over as well to brush Vanitas’ hair back. The cub shudders at the extra touch, but somehow it eases him. Lea pants harshly as his hands snap and pop, knuckles thickening as his nails darken and lengthen into sharp claws. His one hand remains on Vanitas’ neck, loosely cupping it. 

Isa starts talking. You can’t process the words, brain buzzing with too many worries and fears to comprehend anything, but his smooth voice and steady words help soothe your anxieties. You go back to holding his hand, grounding each other. Lea places his free hand against your leg, seeking more contact. Fur has started growing in patches over his body. 

Vanitas cries out as suddenly all of his vertebrae snap back into place, if in a different configuration. Isa continues to murmur as you both check the cub over, wiping away tears and rubbing hands down bruised sides. Lea rubs his thumb against Vanitas’ jaw. Vanitas pants and groans, hands and arms twitching as the muscles warp over creaking bone. He gasps and swallows down a noise as his knuckles snap and pop, flesh swelling oddly over his fingernails as thick pads form over his palms and fingertips. He flexes his hands and thick claws poke out, which then recede when he relaxes.

Lea cries out when his hips pop, dislocating and reshaping before snapping back in place. His legs scrabble, developing toe claws catching in the sheets as his legs and feet morph and crack. His arms crackle and crunch as they slowly lengthen. His fur blooms down his spine. Isa reaches down and untucks Lea’s slowly lengthening tailbone. Lea hisses at the contact, but doesn’t react otherwise. Isa digs his hand into Lea’s growing ruff, stroking the soft fur.

Vanitas huffs as his shift pauses. He uncurls slightly, pressing his head up against your leg. You carefully card your fingers through his hair. He opens his eyes and looks vaguely up at you, seeing through you, unable to focus.

“Ren…” Vanitas rasps, voice weak and wispy. “Ren, it hurts...Hurts…”

“I know, baby, I know,” you choke through your tears, body shaking as you hold back sobs. Your heart  _ aches  _ in your chest, pain spreading through your body because your ward your cub your  _ son  _ is hurting and you can’t do a goddamn thing about it. “I know it does. It’ll be over soon, okay? We’re right here.”

“I don’t-” Vanitas groans and shudders as cartilage in his arms pop. “I- ah! aH! AH!”

Vanitas cries out as his arms  _ shatter,  _ bones splintering and crackling as they slowly grow out and reconfigure. At the same time, his hips  _ squelch _ , morphing with a sickeningly wet sound. Your cub seizes fitfully as his legs jerk and kick out involuntarily, bruises appearing around inflamed joints. You join in with Isa’s ongoing murmuring, talking about everything you can think of as dark patches of fur finally start blooming over Vanitas’ body. Stories about your regulars, what shit Adira got up to yesterday, the latest conspiracy theory the island trio had latched on to, anything to keep Vanitas grounded.

Your focus shifts to Lea when he growls. You watch, feeling detached, as his face slowly pushes out into a muzzle. He falls limp immediately, panting and twitching as he recovers, briefly. Then he cranes his head forward to nose at Vanitas’ tear-stained face. Vanitas whimpers but presses into the contact, breath shuddering in his chest.

“Doin’ great, cub,” Lea rasps, licking Vanitas’ forehead and cheeks. “Almos’ there…”

Vanitas sobs when his back pops again, and you can see a hard lump forming at the base of his spine. You immediately reach forward and tug the back of his pants down, carefully guiding the hairless tail over the back of Vanitas’ pants. Vanitas jerks at the contact with a panicked wheeze.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, shh,” you soothe, stroking the back of his head, feeling the fur sprouting down his neck. “It’s just your tail.”

“You’re almost done, Vanitas,” Isa encourages softly, moving his hand from Lea’s ruff to Vanitas’ arm, which is quickly getting covered in thick black fur. 

Vanitas  _ yowls,  _ face crunching up as his teeth reconfigure and grow in his mouth, gums bleeding slightly. Then, still yowling and panting and  _ crying  _ oh  _ stars,  _ Vanitas’ face pushes out, skull flattening and ears yanking upwards and fur finally covering his face and it’s  _ over  _ thank the  _ stars above  _ it’s over. Vanitas goes limp, shivering and panting and whimpering, and you gather him in your arms, finally allowing yourself to cry. Lea whimpers and, with Isa’s assistance, joins in on the embrace, nuzzling and sniffing and grooming thick fur and gently touching your face and Vanitas’ back. Isa presses against your side, gingerly stroking Vanitas’ back as Lea curls around the three of you in a protective huddle.

“That- that  _ sucked,”  _ Vanitas sobs, shivering. 

“Oh, don’t we know it, cub,” Lea agrees, nuzzling his muzzle closer to drag his tongue between Vanitas’ ears, slicking back his dark hair. “But we made it. You’re okay. It gets better, I promise.”

Vanitas shudders, nuzzling his face into your neck. You kiss one of his ears. Isa, looking as exhausted as you feel, rests his head against yours.

“Van, do you think you can eat?” You ask quietly, suspecting a “no.”

“No,” Vanitas confirms. 

“You wanna just stay here and sleep?” Lea asks, already starting to rumble deep in his chest.

“Yeah,” Vanitas murmurs, weakly gripping your shirt. “Yeah, I wanna sleep.”

“Alright,” you whisper, carefully reclining on your side. “Isa, you want in or do you wanna hang out on the edges or…?”

Isa wordlessly lies down on his back, pressed close to you. He nudges his head so his cheek is pressed against your back. Lea paces around the three of you a couple times before curling up on the other side of Vanitas, stretching his arm out so he can lay it over you and your cub. Isa brushes his fingertips over Lea’s paw but doesn’t grab it, for now.

“We’re here, cub,” you murmur, pressing a kiss between Vanitas’ ears. He snuffles against your neck. “Go ahead and rest. We’ll be here in the morning.”

“Mmh,” Vanitas sighs, paws flexing slightly. “..th’nk y’u…”

“Always, kiddo,” Lea murmurs, resting his head just over yours, chin pressing against the top of your head. “Always.”

“That’s a promise,” you mumble, anxiety and adrenaline fading, leaving a bone-deep exhaustion in its place. 

Vanitas nuzzles closer, breath deepening as he drops into dreams. You close your eyes, feeling the warmth of your family around you. You know whatever may happen, you’re all in this together.

You fall asleep, and you do not dream.


	2. Worry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh shit here they come

Sora is home with his family and partners, looking forward to a full moon surrounded by pack and family, when he feels it.

_ Fear. Fear fear fear pain pain  _ **_pain pAIN PAIN PAIN-!_ **

He’s already shifted and halfway to the ship by the time Riku catches up to him, grabbing him by the scruff. Sora yelps, body going limp. He doesn’t resist when his boyfriend drags him back.

“Woah, woah, woah!” Riku exclaims. “Sora, what’s going on? Why are you and Namine freaking-”

_ “Vanitas is hurt!”  _ Sora bursts out. “Vanitas is hurting and he’s scared and we  _ have  _ to go! We have to go right now!”

“Okay, we’ll go  _ after  _ Namine is done, okay?” Riku says, releasing Sora. “It won’t be fair to leave her behind, yeah?”

Sora whines and immediately gallops back to the den. He feels  _ terrible  _ for forgetting Namine! Even now her distress sends echoes of pain and fear through his heart, although her and Ventus’ emotions are overwhelmed by the sheer strength of Vanitas’. Sora lopes inside, making a beeline straight for the nest in the middle of the living room. Namine shivers and sobs in Kairi’s embrace, Haru kneeling by her head and holding one paw tightly as he runs his fingers through her hair. Sora curls up behind Namine, pressing his body against hers. He kicks up a purr, willing it to chase away the anxieties and fears plaguing both Namine and himself. He hears Kairi purr as well. Namine sniffles, twitching and jerking as her body slowly morphs, white fur blooming in thick patches. 

Sora gently grooms her hair after her muzzle pushes out, Kairi opposite of him cleaning her sister’s face. Haru rubs his thumb over her knuckles. Namine takes a moment to gather herself before hauling herself upright.

“Okay, let’s go,” Namine huffs, soft but determined. Sora scrambles upright and finally finally  _ finally  _ he’s sprinting to the ship, his pack with him. They all pile into one ship, Riku and Haru running through checks as quickly and safely as possible. Sora and Namine pace the cargo hold, ears pinned and tails lashing. Kairi sits calmly, purring in an attempt to calm them down.

But Sora doesn’t  _ want  _ to calm down. Vanitas is  _ hurting, afraid,  _ and Sora  _ isn’t there. And he  _ **_hates it._ **

It feels too much like the last time Vanitas had been hurt and afraid, Sora hadn’t been able to do anything then either, and Van had almost died.

Sora snarls, a deep growl crawling out of his chest as he stalks around the hold. He  _ has  _ to be there. He  _ needs  _ to be there. His cousinbrotherpack _ pack _ **_pack_ ** is  _ hurtinghurtinghurting  _ and Sora is  _ angry  _ because he isn’t there to  _ protectcomforthold  _ and he doesn’t  _ know what it is that’s hurting him  _ he can barely  _ think- _

The ship jerks. Sora perks up and leaps up the ladder to the cockpit. 

“What’s going on?” Sora asks, voice growly and harsh.

“ _ Fucking  _ heartless,” Haru snarls, fingers flying as he manipulates weapons and shields. Sora growls, walking up next to Riku. His boyfriend’s teeth are bared and gritted as he pilots, ducking and weaving around a veritable horde of heartless. Sora hisses, lips pulling back from his fangs as he glares out the viewport. This is keeping him from getting to his  _ family, to what is his to protectloveholdhishishishishis-! _

Something in his heart goes  _ numb. _

A hole opens up in gummi space and Riku yelps, yanking up the wheel to get out of range. Sora doesn’t notice, focused only on the viewport, on the tugging on his heart as Vanitas  _ shrieks  _ his pain over his bonds, perhaps unwittingly. Riku glances over at Sora and spots a glow fading from his eyes.

“...Sora?” Riku asks. Sora flicks an ear at him to show that he’s listening. “What was  _ that?” _

__ “I dunno,” Sora grunts, gaze unwavering. “Probably nothing. We gotta go, though.”

Riku tucks the incident away for later, pressing back into the accelerator. Sora can explain himself when he’s capable of thinking more clearly. For now they need to get to Vanitas.

Ventus is shivering and panting through his own change, Terra groaning next to him as Aqua murmurs and nuzzles them both, when he feels  _ painfearhelp  _ lance through his heart. He bolts upright and, heedless of his own breaking and changing body, attempts to run out of the den. He doesn’t even make it out of the nest before his legs buckle.

“Ventus!” Aqua cries, rushing forward. “Ventus, what’s wrong?”

“V- Va-!” Ventus cries out, claws gripping the floor as his spine laboriously lengthens, tail lashing around his ankles. “Van! He’s- he’s hurt!” Ventus sobs as Vanitas’ pain and fear pulses in his chest. “I have- I’ve gotta-!”

“Okay, it’s okay!” Aqua soothes, gently nudging Ventus back into the nest. “I  _ promise  _ we’ll go once you and Terra are done, okay?”

“O-okay,” Ventus concedes, curling up against Terra, whining as his feet snap and pop. Ventus closes his eyes and  _ focuses,  _ willing the change to go  _ faster.  _ Vanitas is… Vanitas is  _ family,  _ now. Vanitas is family and he’s hurting and Ventus  _ has  _ to go find him and make sure he’s okay.

Ventus comes back to awareness when his sinuses  _ burn,  _ face pushing out into a muzzle and skin prickling as his fur grows over. He pants harshly, muscles twitching as he recovers. Terra huffs deeply next to him, turning his head to nuzzle against Ventus’ face. 

“Okay, cub, let’s go,” Terra rumbles, heaving himself up to all fours. 

“Yes, yes, go go go,” Ventus babbles as he scrambles to his feet, ignoring the ache in his bones as he trots to the landing pad. Vanitas’ pain has faded, slightly, but still sends out the occasional pang.

_ Hold on, Van,  _ Ventus thinks to himself as he paces restlessly around the cargo hold.  _ I’m coming. _

__ Roxas and Xion, halfway through their change, both gasp simultaneously, clutching each other tighter. Pain that isn’t their own  _ ripples  _ over their hearts. They look at each other.

“Vanitas,” Xion whispers, eyes wide.

“Soon as we can move,” Roxas promises, gritting his teeth as his hips squelch.

“Yes,” Xion agrees, curling forward as their posture warps. They press their forehead against his, forcing their breathing to even as bones and muscle warp and change, fur blooming over their skin. Their changes finish and they both take a moment to breathe each other in, purring quietly to soothe nerves and strengthen resolve. Then they get up and immediately climb into the cockpit, Roxas in the pilot’s seat and Xion in the gunner’s. They both whine when another wave of  _ painpainpain  _ ripples from Vanitas. 

“Where’s the goddamn warp gate,” Roxas hisses as he swipes through the map, ears pinned back.

“Check bookmarks,” Xion reminds him.

“Thank you,” Roxas sighs in relief, selecting the warpgate near Twilight Town. “Okay, brace yourself.”

Sora  _ throws  _ himself out of the ship before it even lands, Namine and Kairi right behind him. Trees and buildings blur around him, grass then dirt then stone where’s the bar where’s Vanitas where where  _ where where WHERE-!  _

Sora skids to a stop, claws digging angry furrows in the cobblestone. Kairi and Namine just barely stop from bumbling into him. Sora summons his keyblade and unlocks the door, Kairi surging forward to open it. He (gently) rushes past her, through the bar, up the stairs, Van, Van, Van Van VanVanVan _ VanVanVan-! _

“VANITAS!” Sora yowls as he bursts through the door, leaping over the couch that’s in his way.

Sharp teeth snap a mere inch from his face. Sora scrabbles back, automatically snarling.

“What the  _ fuck,  _ Sora?” Comet gripes from the nest. The nest that they, Isa, and Vanitas are in. The nest that Lea is currently crouched protectively over, bristling and growling. Lea immediately calms down and gives Sora an exasperated look.

“Jeez, shouldn’t  _ you  _ of all people know better?” Lea chides him. “You can’t just go bustin’ in, dingus.”

“Sorry,” Sora whines, ears drooping and shoulders hunching. “I just- Is Van okay? I gotta- I’m-”

Lea softens, glancing up as Kairi and Namine stumble in, too.

“Yeah, he’s okay,” Lea rumbles, sitting up from his crouch. “Just got a nasty shock, is all.”

Sora zeroes in on the dark, furry shape in Comet’s embrace. With a distressed mew, Sora crawls past Lea, who allows the intrusion with some grace. Sora nuzzles his forehead against the side of Vanitas’ head, inhaling his brother’s scent. He rasps his tongue over dark fur that still smells like pain and fear, and tries not to feel  _ so goddamn guilty.  _

“None of that, Sora,” Comet suddenly says, gripping the back of his neck. Sora’s body automatically goes limp, and he looks mournfully up at them. “None of that misplaced guilt. This isn’t your fault, in any way, shape, or form. This is just a thing that  _ happened,  _ okay? Nobody here blames you, and you  _ know  _ Vanitas isn’t going to blame you, either. When he wakes up and finds you blaming yourself, he  _ will  _ beat you up.”

Sora sniffles and doesn’t resist when Comet brings their foreheads together. He nuzzles closer, seeking comfort for a moment, then buries his face against Vanitas’. He’s vaguely aware of Kairi and Namine murmuring with Lea and Isa. He doesn’t really care at the moment. He just wants to feel Vanitas  _ breathe,  _ listen to his heartbeat, inhale his scent. 

Sora was  _ so scared.  _

“Wh’s goin’ on?” Vanitas rumbles beneath him.

“Vanitas!” Sora gasps, sitting up.

“Hey, Van,” Comet murmurs. “How’re you feeling?”

“Sore,” Vanitas mumbles. “And there’s this fat ass on top of me.”

“Vanitas!” Sora chokes, tears spilling over, fear evaporating into  _ sheer relief.  _ Vanitas blinks up at him, distinctive amber eyes wide.

“Woah, woah, Sora, what’s with the-  _ ackapththp!”  _ Vanitas is cut off by Sora licking his face, rough tongue scraping through Vanitas’ fur. “Fffghhpth-  _ dude!” _

“I’m  _ so happy you’re okay!”  _ Sora sobs, voice cracking. Comet yelps as Kairi and Namine join in, sniffing and licking and whimpering. “We felt you hurting and you were  _ scared  _ and  _ we didn’t know what was wrong and-”  _

“Alright, pups, back up!” Lea barks, grabbing Kairi and Sora by the scruffs and tugging them back. Namine backs up immediately, sitting down daintily next to Isa. Comet gasps dramatically, flopping on their back. Vanitas rasps a chuckle, sitting up unsteadily on his elbows.

“So when’re the rest of ‘em gonna bust in,” he snips, words slightly slurred with exhaustion. Sora, calmly because he doesn’t want to get tossed off by Lea again, sits next to him and starts grooming the side of Vanitas’ head.

“Aw, shit,” Lea grumps. “Guess I’m running interference.”

“No, I like being surprised by which chunk of the pack is going to just barge in next,” Comet sasses. “It’ll be fun, Lea.”

“As long as Terra isn’t the next one gallumphing up the stairs,” Isa drawls. “Vanitas, do you think you can eat now?”

“I could eat,” Vanitas yawns, leaning against Sora, who’s started purring.

“Then I will make something,” Isa declares, almost unnecessarily. “Namine, would you like to help?”

“O-oh!” Namine peeps, simultaneously perking up and shrinking down. “May I?”

“Of course,” Isa hums, climbing to his feet. “I will need assistance in feeding the horde.”

Namine giggles and follows him to the kitchen, claws clicking on the wooden floors. Lea briefly glances over before going back to grooming a struggling Kairi’s hair. He grumbles and pins her down with his chest before resuming his attack on a gnarly tangle in her shoulder ruff.

“Lea!” Kairi yips, kicking her legs out. “Lemme go!”

“I will once I’m done!” Lea gripes back. “You can’t just come in here all dirty and shit! What’d you do, roll in some briars?”

“No!!” Kairi denies.

“She did,” Namine calls softly from the kitchen.

“Traitorrrr!” Kairi howls dramatically.

“Everything okay?” Riku asks as he and Haru cross the threshold. Haru immediately trots to the kitchen, greeting Namine and Isa, pausing to give Vanitas a quick wave and a smile on his way. Vanitas, surrounded by a ball of enthusiastic Sora, appreciates the distance. 

“We’re fine,” Lea hums, avoiding Kairi’s flailing paw. “But then certain cubs decided the best way to check on Vanitas was to crush him,  _ and  _ Kairi rolled through a briar patch before coming inside.”

“Tuesday, then,” Riku laughs. “I’ll go make sure nobody else tries to crush Vanitas. Glad you’re alright, Van.” Then he goes back down the stairs.

Vanitas sighs tiredly and lays back down, Sora sprawling out next to him. Comet strokes Van’s hair, then Sora’s.

“I’m gonna go help Isa, alright?” Comet tells them. “I love you both.”

“Love you!” Sora immediately chirps.

“Ye,” Vanitas grunts, eyes drooping. Sora nudges him awake. “ _ Why, brother.” _

“You have to stay awake until you eat something,” Sora says firmly. “I know you don’t want to, but it’ll help you feel better!”

“ _ Ugh _ ,” Vanitas huffs. His ears perk up. “Somebody’s coming.”

“VAN!” Xion and Roxas scrabble in, skidding to a stop before they run into him. Xion starts sniffing his face as Roxas paces around them, waiting his turn to check on Vanitas. Xion finishes their inspection by licking a broad stripe from his nose and between his ears and moves aside to let Roxas have his turn.

“Hi, Sora!” They greet.

“Hi, Xion!” Sora chirps, nuzzling noses with his sib. “I’m happy to see you! Are you guys okay?”

“Better now,” Roxas huffs, knocking his forehead against Vanitas’. “Stay awake.”

“I’m  _ trying,”  _ Vanitas grumps. “Sora keeps  _ fucking purring  _ and it’s making me  _ sleepy.”  _

“It’s a talent,” Sora giggles, but tones down his purr. “Do you know how far out Ven is?”

“I think he’s on his way,” Xion hums, settling in front of Sora. Vanitas grumbles as Roxas aggressively grooms the panther’s shoulder fur. “He should be here any minute now.”

“We should be able to hear the thumping of Terra coming up the stairs,” Vanitas says, then hisses at Roxas. “ _ Dude!  _ That  _ hurts!” _

“Sorry, Van.” Roxas gentles his grooming, purring quietly.

“ ‘s fine,” Vanitas grumps, headbutting Roxas. “Quit purring or  _ you _ will make me fall asleep.”

“Whatever,” Roxas huffs, flopping on his side next to Vanitas.

“Stay awake, Van,” Vanitas mocks. “You’ve gotta stay awake and eat something, Van.  _ Meanwhile! You shits  _ keep  _ purring!” _

“Stop us, then,” Sora taunts.

“Sure, lemme see if Comet’s available to help me kick your asses.”

The purring immediately stops.

“Cowards,” Kairi laughs at them.

“Bold words for somebody still trapped by Lea,” Xion cracks back.

“Y’know?” Kairi muses as Lea tugs out a tangle in her hair. “You right.”

“This wouldn’t happen if you would watch where you’re running,” Lea tells her as he finally untangles the last knot. “There. Done. Go make sure Riku isn’t too lonely or something.”

“You can’t tell me what to do.” Kairi goes downstairs to check on Riku. Lea snorts and sprawls out between the nest and the door. Xion wiggles until they’re pressed against his back.

_ Thump thump thUMP THUMP  _ **_THUMP-!_ **

“There’s Terra,” Lea quips and the last of their pack spills in.

“I’m okay!” Vanitas yelps preemptively as Ventus  _ sails  _ over Lea. “Ventus-!  _ ACGKPTH! _ ”

Vanitas gets attacked by affection and worry yet again, this time by a near  _ frantic  _ Ventus. Terra lumbers in right behind him, Aqua following. The two adults stop in front of Lea.

“Everything okay?” Terra asks. “Ventus attempted to run out mid-shift.”

“Yikes,” Lea winces. “Yeah, Vanitas caught the cat bug. It was rough. Some of the crew are fixin’ something up in the kitchen.”

Terra carefully steps through the sea of cubs to give Vanitas a good sniff.

“Please don’t lick me,” Vanitas grumps. “At this point I’m gonna start losing fur.”

“You’ll lose it in the morning anyway,” Sora points out. “Just let it happen.”

Terra smirks and gives Vanitas a good lick anyway, despite his obvious and dramatic groaning. Aqua pads up and sniffs him, too.

“We’re glad you’re okay, Vanitas,” she murmurs, placing a tiny lick on his forehead. “We were worried.”

Vanitas mumbles indistinctly, burying his face in his crossed arms. 

“Alright, food’s ready!” Haru calls from the kitchen. 

“One at a time, please!” Comet yelps when all weres capable of movement get to their feet.

“Or else!” Isa snarls.

Comet brings out a small, shallow bowl of light soup for Vanitas as everyone else lines up in the kitchen. They help him sit up and eat the soup, steadying his shaking paws. When he’s done they lay back down with him, taking back their spot that Roxas had occupied. Vanitas buries his face in their shoulder.

“You okay, Van?” They murmur quietly.

“Yeah,” he rasps, willing the heat behind his eyes to go away. “Just…”

“It’s a lot, having confirmation that people love you,” Comet sighs. “Feels too good to be true, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, it’s true whether you like it or not, punk,” Comet tells him, lightly digging a knuckle into his scalp. Vanitas squirms, batting his paw at their hand. “We love you. Every single one of us. And we’re so glad you’re here.”

“I-” Vanitas swallows. “I love you guys, too. I’m glad I’m here.”

Comet kisses his forehead - what is  _ with  _ everybody and his forehead - and lays back, closing their eyes.

“You’re clear to go back to sleep, Van,” they say, lightly stroking his fur. “We’ll be here in the morning.”

Vanitas lets his eyelids droop closed, the soothing rhythm of Comet’s hand lulling him. He feels warm bodies press against him, purring and rumbling and  _ there.  _ Feels five other hearts gently press against his.

_ We are here,  _ they whisper.  _ We’re glad you’re okay. _

__ Vanitas falls asleep, surrounded by warmth and love and  _ pack.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course the sibs are gonna come over

**Author's Note:**

> To those who guessed: how’s that validation taste?


End file.
